1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved network configuration system, in particular to a method and apparatus for allocating addresses to clients on a TCP/IP network. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for addresses allocation to authenticated clients.
2. Description of Related Art
Computers on a network typically have addresses, such as Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. In some cases, the addresses are static addresses, which may be permanently assigned to a computer. In other cases, the addresses may be automatically assigned to a computer when it logs on to a network, such as a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/IP network. With this type of network, a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server automatically assigns IP addresses to the client computers logging on to the network. This type of process is typically found on a server, but also may be implemented in other types of network devices, such as integrated services digital network (ISDN) routers and modem routers that allow multiple users to access the internet.
DHCP traditionally does not authenticate the identity of the clients before assigning the addresses. This protocol assumes that all of the clients on the network are allowed to obtain addresses from the server. Further, this protocol also allows a DHCP server to provide static IP addresses through a server configuration. In other words, a client that is to receive a static IP address always receives the same address. This type of provision of static IP addresses requires information about the clients in advance. This information uses a media access control (MAC) address to identify an existing client. The server configuration is updated to identify a particular MAC address as being associated with a particular static IP address. In some cases, this information may be unavailable, or may be incorrect. For example, if a hardware change occurs in the client, such as a replacing a faulty Ethernet card, the information regarding the client becomes incorrect.
This type of system requires the server configuration to be updated with the client information. Further, this technique does not provide a mechanism to add clients with static IP address needs to a system without updating the server configuration. Therefore, it would be adventitious to have an improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for assigning addresses to client.